HUNTING & FISHING Montana
News
February 2016
BIG GAME DEADLINES Predator Control
WINTER FISHING TACTICS
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Hard Water Gators
By Trevor Johnson, Kit’s Tackle www.kitstackle.com
F ebruary marks the calendar as the month to pursue Montana’s hard water gators on Fort Peck. Earlier in the winter the northern pike are spread all
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across Fort Peck’s miles of ocean like occupancy. By the end of January, the pike begin their migration to their spawning grounds. Fort Peck’s Forchette Bay is one of the most prominent spawning estuaries on the entire west end of the lake. This time of year is so effective because you are placing ninety percent of the fish in ten percent of the area. Not exactly shooting fish in a barrel, but you are stacking the odds of success! If wrangling a piscivorous fish longer than your leg through a hole in the ice Steinmetz Outfitters #9388 in the remote tundra paradise of eastern Montana sounds like fun…keep CAPTAIN TREVOR JOHNSON US COAST GUARD License #3589830 Josh Steinmetz CAPTAIN KIT JOHNSON US COAST GUARD License #3582779 Phone #406.439.4366 reading!! Forchette Bay is about fifty miles down a dirt road south of Malta, Montana. Once you arrive it has a nice campground with a couple pavilions and outhouses. ***Please note this is one of the most remote areas on Fort Peck w/ no amenities*** So make sure you bring enough bait, beer and safety supplies. We generally set up a wall tent with a stove but some folks like to bring their campers. If you’re not into the overnight experience, you could make the long trek back to a motel room in Malta. To us, a big fire, fish fry and friends to end a great day on the ice is perfect. In the world of freshwater fishing, I’ve coined the esox luscius (northern pike) as Montana’s barracuda. Let’s just say they are the big game hunting equivalent of the water world. Any fish that can get a tip up rocking back and forth in the hole is my kind of date! Below the ice, northern pike are notorious for taking the bait, then spitting it to turn it, and then eating it head first and taking off like a freight train. What this looks like above the ice: • Flag goes up on tip up • Tip up top starts slowly spinning • Angler starts to get excited and moves toward the tip up • Tip up stops spinning • Angler’s heart sinks in disapointment • Tip up top starts spinng at ludacris speed • Angler pees their pants in excitement This is a fun and friendly trip for both kiddos and new ice anglers alike. Forchette is also a great option for folks without a four wheeler with lots of great fishing within walking distance of camp. There is also a possibility to catch walleye, sauger, catfish, lake trout, burbot, crappie and yellow perch here. This adds a little excitement being able to have a mixed bag adventure. Each angler is allowed six lines so we always recommend setting a couple as “multi-species” sets. The perfect multi species set is just a single #1 circle hook with a 3-5” live minnow hooked through the lips placed about a foot or so off the bottom. The best depth for a mixed bag catch is 12-20 fow. We always bring a couple jigging rods and glass minnows for this! Specifically targeting pike I prefer smelt under the ice, but always have a couple of corker live sucker minnows (6-8”) reaping havoc below the ice. Sometimes that is what it takes, but generally the big pike are lazy and like a juicy dead smelt soaking under the hole. Fish only see up and pike don’t stay glued to the bottom so we have had the most success suspending the bait about three feet off the bottom. This also enables them to see the bait from further away. Pike cruise the shallows this time of year and the most successful depths to target are anywhere from five to twelve feet. We place our first tip up close to shore and make a straight line out into the lake. This method works very well because you are cutting the pike off as they travel the contours of the lake. We drill the holes about twenty-thirty feet apart to maximize the potential of getting a bait in front of a fish. Please see google earth map for example: How To Rig A Smelt On The Quick Strike FISHING EQUIPMENT LIST: -Ice auger (we recommend a 10” blade. Pike get BIG) -A good ice scooper (to clean the holes) -Spud bar (to break the frozen holes each morning if it’s cold) -Jigging rods -Tip ups (equipped with 30lb braided Dacron line and proper personal identification-check current regs) -Quick strike pike rigs -Steel leaders (12-18”) -Single #1 Gamakatsu circle hooks and 1/4 bullet weights (for your multi-species rigs)-slide the bullet weight up your Dacron line then tie on 12-18” steel leader connected to your single hook. -Smelt (I would bring a couple dozen at least) -Live minnows (you will need a cooler and aerator to keep them alive) -Bottom finder clip weights -Jaw spreaders and long nose pliers (pike have more teeth than an ocean of piranhas)
Remember to practice ice safe! And as with all fishing, it is an escape. We go on these adventures to free our minds and cleanse our souls. It is a time of friends, family and tradition. And of course, catching fish!! Trevor Johnson is the co-founder of Kit’s Tackle “Jiggin’ the Dream” along with his father, Kit. “I am a true made in Montana fishing guide, an insane outdoor enthusiast, a wild man in the woods and on the water and they even say I’m a quarter mountain goat. I am a happy husband, a proud daddy to a beautiful little girl and two sweet dogs. When I’m not shoveling coal into the jig engine, you can find me on the water or leaving boot tracks in the wilds of Montana. February 2016
5
Spring Steelhead Season Opens... Idaho Fish and Game
Photo: Idaho Fish and Game
F or some anglers, the best thing about New Year’s is the start of the spring steelhead season, which opens January 1.
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Anglers are reminded that they will need a 2016 fishing license and steelhead permit. Spring steelhead season will open on the: - Salmon River from its mouth to the posted boundary 100 yards downstream of the Sawtooth Fish Hatchery weir, near the town of Stanley. - Little Salmon River from its mouth to the U.S. Highway 95 Bridge near Smokey Boulder Road. - Snake River from the Washington state line at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers upstream to Oxbow Dam. - Clearwater River mainstem and Middle Fork Clearwater River from its mouth to Clear Creek. - North Fork Clearwater River from its mouth to Dworshak Dam. - South Fork Clearwater River from its mouth to the confluence of American and Red Rivers. - Boise River from its mouth to the Barber Dam. The season runs through April 30 in most areas, except: - On the Salmon River from Lake Creek Bridge to Long Tom Creek, about a quarter mile upstream of the Middle Fork, the season ends March 31. - On the Little Salmon River, the season runs through May 15. - On the Snake River from Hells Canyon Dam to Oxbow Dam, the season runs through May 31. - On the Boise River upstream to Barber Dam, the season ends May 31. Steelhead are in the Boise River only when stocked by Idaho Fish and Game. In the Boise River, steelhead are defined as rainbow trout longer than 20 inches with a clipped adipose fin. During November, over 300 steelhead were stocked in the Boise River. Barbless hooks are not required in the Boise, but anglers must have a steelhead permit to fish for and keep steelhead. Steelhead anglers must have a valid Idaho fishing license and steelhead permit. Steelhead anglers may use only barbless hooks (except in the Boise), and may keep only hatchery steelhead marked with a clipped adipose fin. All other steelhead must be released unharmed.
The statewide steelhead limits for the spring 2016 season three per day, nine in possession, and 20 steelhead for the season. For more information on steelhead fishing including the latest catch rates, seasons and rules, dam counts, and useful instructional videos, go to http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/fish/?getPage=38
HUNT DEADLINES LOOMING Consider applying for an out-of-state hunt
By H&F News Pro Staff Colorado Governor’s Deer tag taken between Glenwood & Eagle. It scores near 263 gross non-typical. Agency: Division of Wildlife Credit: David Hannigan
W ith the snow still lying white and silent, and the Montana high country still frozen, it’s time again to put in for tags if you want to hunt for deer,
elk, bighorn sheep, goat, and antelope in the west come this fall. Most states are still accepting applications, depending on the species. It’s time to sift through the regs and pony up some cash for your dream hunt. Numerous states routinely fail to entice enough applicants to fill their quotas these days, so if you have a state on the bucket list that is a must for you to hunt, now is the time to make it happen. Limited-entry tags can be hard to draw no doubt, and some states such as Utah, Nevada and New Mexico require hefty non-refundable fees. Fortunately, states like Idaho, Wyoming and Colorado won’t saddle you with this burden. Plus, if you live here in Montana, it’s not too far of a jaunt to get to these neighboring states to hunt. Tag availability varies from year to year, but based on recent trends and over the counter opportunities, there may be no better time to line up your hunts in these marquee western states. Most of these states have early in the year deadlines for deer and elk, with antelope, moose, sheep and mountain goat tag deadlines later, usually May or June. Below is a list of nearby states and information to help you get started. Always check current regulations before applying.
EASIEST STATES FOR TAGS INCLUDE: STATE
APP DEADLINES START
WEBSITE
Colorado
Limited License deadline is April 5, 2016
wildlife.state.co.us
Idaho
1st Come, First Serve Basis Special draw deadline June Check regulations
Wyoming
January 31, 2016 - Elk, gf.state.wy.us February 29, 2016 - Sheep, Moose, Goat May 31, 2016 - Deer, Antelope
fishandgameidaho.gov
GREATEST TROPHY POTENTIAL STATES WITH LIMITED ENTRY TAGS: STATE Arizona
APP DEADLINES START February 9, 2016 - Antelope, Elk
WEBSITE azgfd.com
New Mexico
March 23, 2016
wildlife.state.nm.us
Utah
March 3, 2016
wildlife.utah.gov/dwr
Nevada
March, April - Check regulations
ndow.org February 2016
7
Northern Yellowstone Winter Elk Survey Results Northern Yellowstone Cooperative Wildlife Working Group
T he Northern Yellowstone Cooperative Wildlife Working
Group conducted its annual winter survey of the northern Yellowstone elk population on January 2, 2016. The survey, using four airplanes, was conducted by staff from the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the National Park Service. Staff counted 4,912 elk, including 1,154 elk (23%) inside Yellowstone National Park and 3,758 elk (77%) north of the park. Survey conditions were favorable across the region. The 2016 count was very similar (1% higher) than the 2015 survey results of 4,840 elk, and was 25% higher than the lowest count of 3,915 elk in 2013. This year’s count of 4,912 was the highest since 6,037 elk were counted in 2010. The Working Group will continue to monitor trends of the northern Yellowstone elk population and evaluate the relative contribution of various components of mortality, including predation, environmental factors, and hunting. The Working Group was formed in 1974 to cooperatively preserve and protect the long-term integrity of the northern Yellowstone winter range for wildlife species by increasing our scientific knowledge of the species and their habitats, promoting prudent land management activities, and encouraging an interagency approach to answering questions and solving problems. The Working Group is comprised of resource managers and biologists from the Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks, National Park Service (Yellowstone National Park), U.S. Forest Service (Custer Gallatin National Forest), and U.S. Geological Survey-Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Bozeman. 8 - Hunting & Fishing News
NORTH COUNTRY WALLEYES, ‘MEAT’ THE PRECISION JIG
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In two-line situations throughout...much of the continental Ice Belt... - not much beats a jig and minnow combination for scraping extra
walleye off the spots you jig. Spoons, rattle baits and other lures bring fish under you, and a lively dace, chub or golden shiner set up nearby adds a whole other angle to your game. Struggling against the weight of a lead ball in its nose or back, a minnow rigged this way is just too easy for a walleye to eat. Inside a shelter, rig up a horizontal rod holder and set your drag to slip a little if a good fish scoops up the jig and minnow when you’re not looking. I like shorter rods, from 26 to 32 inches long with a soft tip. A bouncy tip shows what your minnow is doing at all times and gives walleyes a cushion when they pick the bait up. You’ll see them hit before they feel the rod. Set the hook by simply lifting firmly and reeling. A good jig hook slips right in, without much effort.
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Tip-ups with live minnows generate tons of walleye all winter for us too, but nothing beats watching a fish hit right beside you and then fighting it on a light rod and reel outfit. Of course, look for walleye on your sonar as you jig with more aggressive lures. You’ll be impressed by how many respond to the jig and minnow. Methods like the jig and meat combo start to shine right about now, when cold snaps start getting measured in weeks and that first-freeze rush has kind of petered out. Walleye are still absolutely catchable using lures with more razzle dazzle, stroked quicker. But season after season, batting cleanup with a well-placed baitfish gets hotter and hotter the colder it gets. (continued on page 19)
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February 2016
9
Come Enjoy Our Local Secret!
5 Ways to Find More Shed Antlers By Mike Hanback
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atience: I know you’re itching to get out there, but don’t go too early. If you spook a 150-class buck with loose, wobbly antlers, he might run a quarter-mile and drop one or both sides in a remote spot where you can’t find them, or across a fence where you don’t have permission to go. A good rule of thumb is to start looking in mid-January, and really crank it up around Super Bowl Sunday, when most bucks have dropped the bone. Watch winter feeding areas where deer congregate (corn, soybeans, hay lots, etc.) every few days until you see few if any bucks with antlers. Then start looking. A good option is to set a couple of trail cameras around feeding areas or even bait piles if legal in your area. Once bucks are bald in your images, start hunting.
Glass: Everybody uses binoculars when hunting, but few people carry them when shedding. But you should. “I once sat on a log and glassed 7 sheds lying around in different spots,” says Montana shedding nut Luke Strommen. “One of the best spots to glass is a wooded area that was recently grazed by cattle,” Luke says. “You’d be amazed how many sheds you missed on previous days or even in previous years. The cows uncover and kick up some old ones.”
Check the bedroom: Check any and all winter bedding
areas you know about. In and around beds and nearby deer trails are one of the most productive places to find antlers day in and out. But again, be sure most bucks have dropped their antlers before you go poking around in there.
Hunt the rain: Go on a rainy day, when a fresh shed will shine and catch your eye.
Grid and slow: The biggest mistake people make is to wander around the woods aimlessly, looking too far out front and all around. Mark off small grids with trees, rocks, logs and the like as markers. Walk slowly over each grid and look straight down a few yards around your feet for sheds. Good luck and send us your shed-hunting pictures and finds. 10 - Hunting & Fishing News
February 2016 11
CALL A COYOTE
FROM THE PRIVATE SIDE By Mark Kayser
Big public parcels allow you to hunt country in between as you bounce from private border to border. This means you are not only calling coyotes off of the private land, but you may also have opportunities to call coyotes within a chunk of public ground.
I
knew all the action would take place 150 yards or more below me. Why? I was sitting on a cliff looking into a creek bottom separated by a single barbed-wire fence. The likelihood of a coyote joining me on the vertical slope was slim, but seeing one racing up the creek bottom was part of my plan. Scanning back down into the creek I spied a gray coyote ghosting my way in response to my February howls. He paused at the fence and normally that would have been an ideal spot to bust him, but he was standing safely on the deeded side of the boundary. A second later the coyote ducked under the fence and was now in legal shooting territory. I slipped the safety off my Bergara rifle and barked. The Hornady V-Max stopped the coyote cold on public land and I slid down to retrieve my furry prize. If you hear hunters grumble about the overhunting on public land for coyotes, don’t embrace the pessimistic attitude. Sure coyotes get pestered, pursued and hammered on public lands, but many public lands border large tracts of private holdings. You may get an invitation to hunt private lands from time to time, but in between invites you can still hunt private lands through a public-land portal. Consider calling your next coyote from private land to a public parcel of your choice. Here’s how. First, begin by inventorying all the public land in the area. Don’t overlook any parcel, large or small. Refer to BLM maps, National Forest maps, county plat maps and especially use mapping programs like OnXMaps (www.huntinggpsmaps.com) to locate every possible public sliver you can use to get up against a large private holding. OnXMaps is invaluable in not only revealing the myriad of public lands available, but during the hunt it allows you to squeeze as close as possible to a border without the fear of getting a trespassing charge against you. Big public parcels allow you to hunt country in between as you bounce from private border to border. This means you are not only calling coyotes off of the private land, but you may also have opportunities to call coyotes within a chunk of public ground. Of course small public parcels allow you to quickly access borders of private land so your calls can reach over the fence to lure coyotes holding up there. Regardless of your border strategy make sure to have enough shooting space on your side of the fence so when a coyote does arrive it will safely cross the boundary and not stop on the wrong side of the fence. Second, do a virtual flyover and use mapping programs like Google Earth, but for more integrated hunting help consider a program like ScoutLook Weather (www.scoutlookweather.com). In addition to a Google Earth interface the program provides pinpoint weather within a few square miles. The app also gives you a 72-hour glimpse of local winds including a unique graphic which maps out your anticipated scent cone as it disperses downwind of your stand. You can also compare winds at a particular site to other hunting locations to choose the right stand. Other features include solunar times, barometric pressure and tides, to name a few. Add the ScoutLook app for even more hunting functionality. This allows you to save stand locations, mark animal sign and note areas of heavy predator movement. You can share the data between hunting partners to keep constant track of where everyone is hunting, and where the action is hot. This is a huge timesaver when trying to fit in as many stands as possible during a weekend-warrior outing. Finally, begin planning firsthand visits to the actual properties and assess your research. Oftentimes you’ll be tested on your hiking ability to reach the far side of a public parcel to set up on property that adjoins private lands, but it’s worth it. Any such borders a mile or more from roads means you’ll likely be alone for calling opportunities. As you scout and hunt your prospects be on the lookout for areas that border livestock feeding operations, riparian zones and even agricultural fields. Coyotes visit these habitat locales frequently hunting for prey, but may retreat to the public side to bed in rugged terrain for the day. Wind direction will always be a factor so look for sites where prevailing winds work in your favor. Last season I crept up to a private border fence in the dark and waited for shooting light with my canine hunting partner Sage by my side. When I felt confident the Nikon would pick up coyotes in the sagebrush environment I howled. The response was immediate and challenging so I teased them again with a return volley of howls. Five minutes later three coyotes appeared on the horizon and then disappeared in a direct ascent to my stand. Without warning a bold male charged within 30 yards of me and Sage went into security mode. I swung to get a shot on a second coyote bounding through the brush, but missed. Sage was still in hot pursuit and bayed the big male on a small rise 280 yards away. I settled my nerves and redeemed myself with a Hornady ending on the coyote in the stare-down contest with Sage. The other two slipped back over the private land border, but there’s always next weekend for another winter coyote encounter.
12 - Hunting & Fishing News
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MANUFACTURED IN STEVENSVILLE February 2016 13
2016 SPRING MACK DAYS LAKE TROUT FISHING EVENT On FLATHEAD LAKE
Fish The Entire Lake
March 18th
through
LINGIN’ BY EDDIE WHITE
May 15th
Friday, Saturday, & Sunday: Competitive Mack Days -lottery, prizes, tagged fish and bonuses Pick your 18/27 best days Friday-Sunday to count for top ten angler prizes Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: bonus days and tagged fish only (51 days total)
Up to $225,000 in CASH & PRIZES 1-$10,000, 3-$5,000, 5-$1,000 & Over 6,000--$100 to $500 Tagged Lake Trout
UP TO $30,000 Lottery Prizes ($1,000-$200)-all it takes is one fish/ticket to win Plus-Top ten angler prizes $700-$200-18/27 best days Fri-Sun. count-last day is separate Captains $250-(4 prizes), Smallest lake trout $250-(2 prizes), Largest lake trout $500 (Fri - Sun) Top lady anglers $300,$200, $100, $100, by total fish entered (Fri-Sun) Youth anglers- (17-13) 1st- $200, 2nd-$150, 3rd-$75, 4-5th-$50 (12 & under) 1st-$100, 2nd-$75, 3rd-$50 will also be entered in the lottery drawing. Weekend Prizes-$300 & $200 (Fri-Sun) drawn and announced weekly; also merchandise prize drawings (NEW) Golden Angler Award (70 & older)-$200 & $100 (Fri-Sun) determined by total fish entered 3 days of single/team-heaviest 4-fish 4/1-Friday, 4/23-Saturday, & 5/8-Sunday - Prizes listed on the website Last Day Only: $300, $200, $100, & $100 & Heaviest Mack under 30”-$200 & $100
BONUSES: ALL ANGLERS WHO ENTER 11 OR MORE LAKE TROUT WIN. The higher your total is at the end of the event-the higher your bonus- (every day Tues-Sun (51) counts) Fish Fry for participants & families-May 15th at Blue Bay 3:00pm Awards Ceremony at 4:00pm
Entry forms will not be mailed out.
Enter online at www.mackdays.com
or pick up entries at local sporting good stores - or you can even enter when you check in your fish at the check in stations during Mack Days. It is easier if you enter before the event begins. Phone 406-883-2888 Ex. 7294 We remind you to follow all fishing regulations. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes have a special $13 fishing permit for the south half on Flathead Lake that is available wherever fishing permits are sold.
H ere it is going into February on the east Yellowstone river. With the ice melting at the edges of the river, you can finally get a line back in the water. If you are seeking some good Ling (burbot) action, this is one of the best times as they are just going in and coming out of spawn. Now is the time, before the water temps go up, and the ling become elusive until the following winter.
By far the best time to go out is at night. Yes, they can be caught during the day, but I have found the best, and fastest action, is just after the sun sets. Like a lumberjack, my chainsaw goes with me. I will get there pre dusk, and cut up as much firewood as I will use for the evening. With a couple of lanterns lit, and the biggest fire I can make. The cold turns, then, into comfortable. Ling, for reasons unknown, are attracted to light. There are only a couple of baits I see necessary. Minnows and nightcrawlers seem to be key, with the occasional minnow cut in half. Tackle can be a bare minimum, or as much as one would like to carry along. The basic package for me are snelled hooks, anywhere from #6 to #2, bell sinkers, and glow in the dark pill floats. Location, location, location! I fish Ling 100% off shore. The face of diversion dams and holes always seem to be prime choices. To find a hole from shore, is a lot easier then one might think. I spend a fair amount of time on google maps, looking for a place I think a hole should be. I will then fancast the area counting my sinker down each time, to figure out depths. It is not necessary to cast as far as you can into the middle of the channel to find the deepest water. A majority of the time holes are a stones throw away. Poorman’s lobster, so it is called. Ling are very mild in flavor, and are easy to cook. Start some boiling water, drop in the meat, wait till it floats. Dunk in butter and enjoy!
Sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and sanctioned by Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks 14 - Hunting & Fishing News
Eddie White owns and operates The Minnow Bucket in Huntley Montana, also a writer, seminar speaker and tournament angler. Contact is as follows: montanaminnowbucket@yahoo.com www.Facebook.com/TheMinnowBucket or 406-348-2440
What Is The Best Time Of Year To Fish For Steelhead?
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Three miles above Orofino Bridge Photo courtesy Idaho Fish and Game
Answer:
Because there are so many places to fish steelhead in the state over such a long period of time, it’s really hard to say there is a best time and place. If an angler has a chance to follow the run upstream, the best time could be any month from July or August through May. The first part of each year’s fall/spring steelhead run starts swimming into the state in July and the Clearwater River seasons open then (most areas for catch and release fishing, be sure to check the regulations). As the run builds, fishing gets better and catch rates can be pretty good all the way through to December. Colder water does slow down fish activity though. Snake River fishing is probably best in September and October but is good through December but most of that is accessed only by boat. Because it’s a little further upstream the Salmon River doesn’t start fishing good until usually in October in the lower and mid-reaches but anglers can be catching fish all the way to Salmon by the end of October. It’s the same as the other rivers, as the water temperature gets colder the fish are less active and bite less but they are still there and do bite.
January and February can be times to fish with a little more solitude. The days are shorter and colder and there are fewer anglers out but the fish are out there and can be caught. Things start to pick up again in mid to late February. The Salmon River upstream of Salmon, the Little Salmon River and the South Fork Clearwater all provide the best fishing in spring - March, April and May for those areas that stay open until then. Catch rates can be really good then; the fish are stacking into the smaller rivers at the end of their migration. The best time to fish steelhead - the long days of September on the lower Clearwater, a warm October day in the Salmon River canyon, a colder January day in a drift boat near Riggins or Orofino, or enjoying the spring thaw in the Stanley Basin in April - is just a matter of personal choice. Each month of the year and each location provides a completely different fishing experience.
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Walleye Wild Rice Soup Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Ingredients: 1 6oz box long grain & wild rice mix 1/3 cup flour 4 cups milk 1 1/2 tbsp butter 1 small onion (chopped) 2 8oz bottles clam juice 1 cup heavy cream 1 1/2 cups walleye fillet cut into pieces Salt & pepper to taste Prepare rice according to directions on box. Meanwhile, stir together flour, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup milk and stir until smooth, set aside. In sauce pan melt butter over med-low heat, add onion and cook until tender. Increase heat to medium and stir in clam juice, cream and remaining milk. Heat to a boil. Add flour mixture stirring constantly. Let boil 1 minute. Add fish pieces and rice mixture. Cook until fish flakes and is done. February 2016 15
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Contact Sport Walleyes By Jason Mitchell
C atching walleye through the ice consistently often means finding the point of contact. The edge or structural element that funnels and
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purred by the discovery of walleye in Swan Lake, the Fishing Outfitters Association of Montana (FOAM) has pledged an additional $5,000 reward for information leading to the successful prosecution of persons illegally introducing fish in any Montana waters... FOAM’S latest contribution brings the total reward offered for information leading to the successful prosecution of a person illegally introducing fish into any Montana water to up to $19,250. Other groups contributing include the Invasive Species Action Network, Montana BASS Nation, Montana Pikemasters, Montana Trout Unlimited, The Montana Wildlife Federation, Walleyes Forever of Montana and Walleyes Unlimited. The contributions supplement the cash reward of up to $1,000 made available by FWP’s 1-800-TIP-MONT violation report line. Montana Trout Unlimited (MTU) has offered an additional reward of $10,000 for the successful prosecution of the individual(s) that illegally introduced walleye into Swan Lake and Noxon Rapids Reservoir, or smallmouth bass into Seeley Lake... The discovery of Walleye in Swan Lake last October is the latest in over 600 illegal introductions that have been documented in Montana. FWP Director Hagener once again thanked all the groups that have stepped up to the plate to help address the issue of illegal introductions. Hagener also asked the public to join the effort by reporting any activity that suggests someone might be illegally dumping fish to the TIP-MONT hot line. “We have one of the most special fisheries resource on the continent and illegal introductions not only ruin the water where they occur but also in some instances expand to other waters as many of Montana’s waters are connected”, Hagener said. 16 - Hunting & Fishing News
pinches fish movements so that when fish move through a particular location, they pass through or over a location. Amazingly, these fish movements are often very precise where most of the fish will come through a location passing along the same route often from the same direction. The beauty of fishing walleyes is that walleyes love structure and when you have structure, the fish movements and locations are seldom random. With the accuracy of map chips and lake contours, finding and understanding structure is no longer a guessing game and our ice fishing can be amazingly accurate. On so many lakes, walleyes can really roam during low light periods or after dark. On some locations, fish will loaf and lay off the structure over the deep transition or bottom of the break and then slide up on to the structure when they get active. This shift or movement when walleyes slide up or through a piece of structure is an opportunity. Identify this contact point where these fish travel and you are on the fast tract to catching more walleye this winter. To visualize these locations, picture a deer stand for bow hunting. You know where the deer are bedding and you know the cut alfalfa field that the deer will walk out into after dark. Now picture the travel routes and pinch points that deer will use to get from point A to point B… walleyes operate very similarly. Both critters are very edge orientated. On many lakes and reservoirs, this prime time movement is often near or around sunrise and sunset. Some bites happen well after dark. With that being said, if the fish are moving… you can set up over a good spot and contact fish. When the fish are not moving, the only way you are going to catch fish is to keep moving. This winter of 2015-16 has been somewhat unique in that we haven’t had a lot of ice. As I write this, we are still hanging on 6 inches of ice on many locations across Devils Lake and what has made this winter somewhat different than past winters besides the fact that we have less ice than most winters is that the fish have been much more spookier. Much banging around right now or walking around and the fish just seem to shut down. The best program I have found so far this winter for catching nice walleye has been to get to a spot, pick the “x” and set up over that one hole waiting out fish movements without doing anything to disturb the spot by excess walking, driving or drilling.
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There are times when the fish seem oblivious to what is going on above them and there are other times when some activity seems to stir them up and gets them swimming around where they become catchable. This winter, these fish have been much spookier than normal so the program has been to drill and fish a few holes on a prime spot and wait out the fish where the activity comes in pulses as schools of fish cruise through. When walleyes shut down from activity, sitting on the sweet spot becomes crucial but the spook factor can vary from water to water. We have seen situations on the Fox River Chain for example in northern Illinois where anglers used tip ups in four or five feet of water over large sand flats and waited on shore because walking on the ice shut the fish down.
We have seen situations with panfish where the fish wouldn’t swim under an ice shelter and we had to use long rods to effectively catch fish. On other water, anglers routinely use dead sticks deployed with Arctic Fisherman or tip ups just to spread lines and fish water remotely. Every body of water will have its own nuances and less ice seems to heighten some of these nuances because the ice not only serves as a buffer from human activity above but also enables much more light penetration. Regardless of ice conditions, however, there is a lesson to be learned. Spend some time to really study contour maps and learn how walleyes are using that particular piece of structure. The only sure way to really get an understanding of a location is to put in some time on the spot but the key is to identify where the fish lay or scatter when they are inactive and where the fish roam when they become active. Find the edges and contours that walleye follow and ambush them this winter. The author Jason Mitchell with a beautiful walleye. Ambush more walleye this winter by understanding structure and waiting out prime fish movements. February 2016 17
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DID YOU KNOW? By Tom Gruenwald www.tgofishing.com
I
ce is often said to be suitable for foot travel when it becomes approximately 4” thick. Of course, caution must still be taken because ice seldom, if ever, develops uniformly. There are simply too many influencing variables–including the elevation, shape, type and depth of the waterway, the presence, direction and strength of wind or currents, springs, emergent objects—even the presence of waterfowl can effect ice formation. Most modern ice anglers have familiarized themselves with these factors, and rightly so. But this somewhat peculiar El Nino winter of 2015-16 sheds light on two other less recognized, yet equally critical aspects of ice development often remaining overlooked: Composition
and tensile strength. While somewhat less understood, these two characteristics are no less relevant to ice safety than the more commonly realized elements mentioned above. For the sake of example, let’s consider two extremes.
The advance of a severe arctic cold blast settling over a calm, open water surface, suddenly plummeting temperatures into single digits or below zero (Fahrenheit), will produce a clear, strong, solid layer of what’s often referred to as “blue” ice—a stable, firm, quality foundation capable of supporting a significant amount of weight for its depth. Four inches of ice in this condition is enough to convince me the lake is accessible. In contrast, let’s say the same lake, still unfrozen, is suddenly struck by the advance of a strong winter storm featuring heavy, wet snow falling at a fast rate—fast enough that an accumulation of slush settles across its surface, followed immediately by temperatures just cold enough to allow this collected, floating mass to freeze. The result? An inconsistently formed, unstable layer of “white” ice filled with air pockets, offering weak cohesive bonding and very little tensile strength. This brittle coating is incapable of supporting any significant weight. Four inches of ice in this condition is certainly NOT conducive to fishing—in fact, I’ve heard stories of ice anglers encountering pockets of white ice three, even four times that thick experiencing undesirable results. The lesson? Be cautious. Take time to truly understand the myriad of variables involved with both ice formation and condition. After all, no fish is worth a life. And remember, as the concerned sergeant on the popular 1980’s TV show Hill Street Blues always soberly stated at the conclusion of every staff briefing: “HEY, LET’S BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!!” For this and more great ice fishing information and tips, please watch TGO, Tom Gruenwald Outdoors on Sportsman Channel, and be sure to check out Tom’s website, TGOFISHING.COM. 18 - Hunting & Fishing News
North Country Walleyes, ‘Meat’ The Precision Jig (continued from page 9)
What’s nice about these colder periods is they force me into moving around less and slowing my entire approach way down. How is that even remotely a good thing? For one, camping out on good spots really lends itself to being thorough, meticulous and maximizing what I’m doing. There’s nothing better suited to soaking great structure than a baited jig. Use the cold and rougher travel to your advantage. Ma Nature wants to pin me down all day with huge wind chill or deep slush all over the lake? No problem. I’ll set up on a sweet spot and kill it softly. Don’t fight the bite. If things slow down or you’re unable to be as mobile as you’d like, capitalize on it. You’ll love the way a jig and bait buries its chances. Walleye eat it and hooking/landing percentages are almost perfect. It’s a key method for mid-winter fishing and a terrific slump-breaker, too. If you’re marking walleye that won’t eat spoons or other lures, send one down, believe me. On your Solunar events or during light changes (daylight to dusk will always be a top one), having this type of tool ready to use makes a huge, huge difference, in terms of walleye caught. It’s really that simple. It’s worth noting that while walleye in the inland lakes we fish ‘up north’ love the jig and minnow, so too do our big water fish, in places like Georgian Bay and The Bay of Quinte. If you fish anywhere along Ontario’s Trent-Severn system, in the Muskokasor on that big beauty they call Lake Nipissing, get a couple different jig and minnow rods set up and play them. And one more thing: small, heavy, lower-action spoons also make a deadly anchor for a live minnow who’s good and irritated. Think Buckshots, Swedish Pimples or my personal favorite, the Custom Jigs & Spins Vertiglo Lightning Spoon. Knick the minnow around the dorsal fin, give the glow paint a good zap and feed it to ‘em. http://www.customjigsandspins.com/icefishing/vertiglow/lightning_spoon.html
JP Bushey encourages anglers to take the open-water jig and minnow combo to hard water. “Set up on a sweet spot and kill it softly,” advises Bushey. February 2016 19
Say Hello To Success: Where to chase the Fish this Month Brought to you by
The perfect winter ice fishing
conditions have created exceptional catch rates for area anglers all throughout the state so far this season, and as we head into the final few weeks of winter, you can expect much of the same, until ice-out sometime in March as the weather gradually warms. Until then, it’s mainly hard-water fishing for anglers here in Montana, and much of the north country. Still, it’s a great way to spend a beautiful February day. Here are just a few spots to consider to end out the winter season.
WESTERN MONTANA GEORGETOWN LAKE:
This lake continues to be one of the most productive and popular hard water fisheries in the West. Plenty of nice trout and salmon continue to be taken on the standard Georgetown fare. Rocket jigs, Swedish Pimples, Glo-hooks and small spinners will work, tipped with corn, maggot or a piece of crawler. The best fishing is usually along points on the outer edges of the bays in slightly deeper water than earlier in the season. The best bite will occur from first light until around 10am. Keep moving until you find the gold!
SEELEY AND SALMON LAKES: These Clearwater drainage lakes continue to produce some big predator fish through the ice. Northern pike are the primary target here. They are most readily taken on tip-ups using herring or smelt. Spearing is also an option, although a challenge, it can be rewarding. Nearby Placid Lake has been fishing well for perch using small forage minnows and Buck Shot spoons. Many of these higher lakes contain very good amounts of trout, perch and sometimes Kokanee salmon, and they can be easily reached
from the highway. Or you can fish off your snowmobile to access lake points that offer exceptional scenery, fishing and solitude. Harper’s, Rainy and Alva are smaller high lakes that also offer up some of the best winter fishing you’ll find.
A San Juan worm or larger stonefly nymph pattern on top, trailed by a small Copper John, Pheasant Tail, Lightening Bug, or midge pupae will attract hungry trout.
SOUTHWEST MONTANA
HEBGEN AND QUAKE LAKES: You can get creative on these bodies of water, located just south of the Bozeman area. Strategic use of an ATV or snowmobile can get you into prime hunting grounds for the big trout that inhabit them. The fishing has been quite good here recently. Anglers have success using Swedish Pimples, Kastmasters, Jigging Rapalas or dropping down a Jig/Worm combo or tipped maggots for fast action.
HYALITE RESERVOIR:
Ice fishing has been very consistent here since the ice first formed. Anglers have had excellent success jigging with Swedish Pimples, Kastmasters, and other flash lures. Maggots have been the most popular bait to tip the lures. You can also try a night crawler or a piece of fish meat. Access to the lake is excellent, as the roads in the area are plowed on a regular basis.
AREA RIVERS:
Our rivers with free water have offered up excellent conditions this winter for fly anglers. Rivers such as the Upper and Lower Madison, Yellowstone, and Gallatin all offer exceptional winter fishing. Nymphing the deeper runs and pools will bring plenty of big fish to the net.
Small jigs tipped with a bit of Powerbait or a maggot seems to be snatching up the perch here.The Kokanee bite has also been good here lately. Vary your fishing depths when targeting the salmon until you find ‘em. One day they may be 2 feet under the ice and the next, they could be in 25 feet of water. Perch and salmon, what a tasty combination!
MISSOURI FROM DAM TO DAM:
ENNIS LAKE:
The angling here has been mainly good this winter. Find the fish and you’ll have plenty of action using general jigging tactics along with a tip-up for the heavy trout that inhabit the lake. The fishing pressure here in the winter is generally very low, and many times, you’ll have a large portion of the lake to yourself.
REGULATING RESERVOIR:
Ice fishing isn’t for everyone, but fly fisherman can still get their fix on some of Montana’s open waters, such as Rock Creek. Photo: Drew Baker
For those of you that aren’t into fishing over ice and still have a hankering for some quality rainbows, try slinging the fly or spinning rod into the open waters of the Missouri. You can take the family for a wintery ride down to the Dam, and whether it’s Canyon Ferry, Hauser or Holter, open water does exist. Countdown Rapalas seem to get a good response this time of the year, as does a good old-fashioned sinker and worm, Powerbait or the always trusty Rapala. They will all work to help you pull in the hungry fish.
EASTERN MONTANA NORTH CENTRAL MONTANA FORT PECK RESERVOIR: CANYON FERRY:
The perch fishing has been fabulous on the reservoir this winter. Jigging spoons in 30 to 60 feet of water seems to be the target range here. On the North end of the lake you can hook into plenty of yellow perch, rainbow trout and even a few walleye. On the south end, drop down smaller flashers tipped with maggots for larger rainbows and perch.
HAUSER LAKE:
Ling or “Poor man’s lobster” can be found in Hauser. Find 20+ feet of water, rig up a piece of smelt and let it sit, or constantly jigging a jig with smelt will produce these tasty fish. Either way, you should come off the ice with a mess of ling. The walleye are hunkered down, rainbows are cruising, and the perch are a bit deeper.
Reports of good success along the Dam face and Duck Creek area. Most anglers will be using tip-ups and minnows. The Dry Arm fishing has been outstanding with anglers taking plenty of lake trout, northern pike and yellow perch using minnows. The Hell Creek area reports are excellent as well. Anglers venturing out to the weeded edges of the lake points are pulling up good-sized northerns and the tasty yellow perch in plenty. It’s a bit of a drive for most, but can be epic if you can hit the conditions just right.
STILLWATER RIVER:
Anglers using Bead Head nymphs like Red Copper Johns and Lightning bugs size #12 - #14 are catching plenty of trout and whitefish in the open water. Target the Absorkee area for the best success.
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and flats graced with green weeds can be magnets for first-ice jumbo yellow perch, but veteran iceman and Lindy guide Jason Muche reminds us not to forget about another prime early winter perch location. “Near-shore transitions where the bottom changes from rocks or gravel to mud attract perch in fall, and these same areas often hold fish during the early ice period,” he said. Muche explains with the late freeze-up, this potent perch pattern is in play on many lakes across Lindy Land right now. “It’s happening on Wisconsin’s Lake Winnebago Chain, where anglers are just starting to walk out, and no doubt on a lot of other systems as well,” he said. Muche’s strategy is as simple as it is universal. Start by searching transitions in relatively shallow water (he likes the 9- to 11½-foot zone), drilling holes, dropping lures and watching for fish on sonar. His go-to lures include small Lindy Frostees and Lindy Toads in shades of pink, chartreuse and white, each tipped with a waxworm. “Start with the lure about eight inches off bottom,” he said. “Jig it up a foot or two in the water column to get the fish’s attention, then drop it to bottom and pound it a few times. Next, raise it about six or eight inches and see how the fish react.” If perch rush in but don’t bite, he raises the jig another four to six inches, “To make them think it’s trying to get away.” If the fish rise but still don’t take the bait he drops the jig to bottom and then raises it an inch or two. “If that doesn’t do it, try different lure colors,” he said. “If they’re still just sniffing around after that, it’s time to move.”
Once he finds an active school, Muche often sets up shop with a three-pronged attack. “Three lines are legal where I fish,” he said. “So I drill three holes close to each other and actively jig the center one, while deadsticking a small minnow or waxworm on a Frostee in the other two.” Often, perch that charge in to check out the jigging theatrics end up falling for the more sedentary presentations, he said. Muche’s system holds water in a variety of lakes. And while he notes that shallow weeds may also hold perch right now, he encourages jumbo hunters everywhere to give the bottom transition pattern a shot before the schools pull up stakes and head for their mid-winter range in the main basin.
22 - Hunting & Fishing News
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throughout the country, a record-setting number of members now belong to Pheasants Forever and its quail division, Quail Forever. From the humble beginnings of “The Habitat Organization” in 1982, Pheasants Forever’s membership has now reached a record high of 146,965 members. Included is a new record mark for Quail Forever at 15,899 members.
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HUNTING
Montana Receives Nebraska Turkeys www.ammoland.com
Wild turkeys from Nebraska received a one-way trip to Montana last week, courtesy of the states’ wildlife management officials. Montana wildlife managers were in Crawford on Friday to retrieve 125 wild turkeys that were captured in Nebraska’s Pine Ridge. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission employees caught the birds Thursday in netted enclosures on private property near Whiteclay. Unlike the birds’ new home, the turkey population in the area of the capture is especially high and landowners were contented to part with the birds. The turkeys were examined by a veterinarian before being placed in cardboard boxes. They were to be released in the Great Falls area of Montana upon arrival. This marks the second consecutive year Nebraska has transferred birds to the Great Falls region where officials are establishing a turkey population with the sought-after characteristics of the Merriam’s subspecies found in northwestern Nebraska. Montana received 91 Nebraska turkeys last year. Nebraska wildlife officials say the transfer is good for wildlife conservation overall and continues a tradition of states helping each other when they can. A sizable portion of Nebraska’s bighorn sheep population originated from animals that were relocated from Montana. 26 - Hunting & Fishing News
A large percentage of members are active volunteers for their local chapters of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. Volunteer conservationists lead 736 active chapter affiliates in 44 states across the pheasant and quail ranges, including: California (23 chapters), Colorado (22), Iowa (100), Illinois (60), Indiana (23), Kansas (45), Michigan (35), Minnesota (76), Missouri (24), Montana (14), Nebraska (64), North Dakota (28), Ohio (29), Oklahoma (10), Pennsylvania (14), South Dakota (34), Tennessee (9) and Wisconsin (31). Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever chapters utilize the organization’s unique model of empowering chapters with 100 percent control of their locally-raised funds to complete habitat and youth education projects in the their own communities. Since 1982, volunteers have effectively utilized this model to produce 489,561 wildlife habitat projects improving habitat for pheasants, quail, and other wildlife on more than 12 million acres. These are important efforts considering the massive loss of habitat suitable for upland wildlife and the decline of many associated grassland species. Additionally, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever volunteers have mentored more than 300,000 youth in the outdoors, and local chapter events are now reaching more than 50,000 youth on an annual basis throughout the country. “The local model of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever continues to drive our influence for wildlife habitat conservation efforts and increased public access,” stated Howard K. Vincent, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s President and CEO. “Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever continue to be the most efficient and effective wildlife habitat conservation organizations in the country, and I urge more of the nation’s 2 million pheasant and quail hunters to join us as we continue fighting for upland and publicly accessible habitat projects in the United States.” In addition to the organization’s new membership record, Pheasants Forever was also recently named an “exceptional” charity by Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest charity evaluator. When upland hunters join or renew membership to Pheasants Forever and/or Quail Forever, they can remain confident that their contribution is making a difference on the ground for wildlife and the nation’s upland hunting heritage. With more than 2 million pheasant and quail hunters in the nation, Pheasants Forever hopes to recruit more passionate upland hunters in 2016 to become a member of “The Habitat Organization,” and help push the organization to new heights.
HUNTING & CONSERVATION NEWS RMEF Speaks Up for Elk, Sportsmen as California Unveils Wolf Plan Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation www.rmef.org
T he Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation wishes to offer clarity regarding reports about California’s new wolf plan. Various media outlets reported that RMEF was part of a collaborative effort with other organizations, including environmental groups, to develop the plan. Such verbiage is misleading and seems to indicate RMEF’s support, approval and advocacy of the plan.
“Plain and simple we asked for a seat at the table to speak out on behalf of elk as well as sportsmen and women,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO. “We are extremely concerned about a wolf policy that will cause the same issues that we have seen in the Northern Yellowstone Elk Herd where wolf reintroduction had a drastic effect on elk herds. We question several elements of the plan itself and are also very concerned about recent comments by some groups that want less hunting so wolves can prey on more elk.” Excise taxes on firearms, bows and arrows along with dollars spent on hunting licenses and fees fund conservation efforts in California and across the country. Removing hunting opportunity would remove funding that benefits all wild species. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) plans on holding informational public workshops in Yreka, Sacramento and Long Beach about its wolf plan beginning in early 2016. “We strongly encourage sportsmen and women to let their voices be heard. It is vital that we speak up for the sake of our California elk herds so they can have a sustainable future,” added Allen.
Public comments may be submitted here, via e-mail at wolfplan@wildlife.ca.gov or regular mail at: Wolf Plan Comments P.O. Box 26750 San Francisco, CA 94126.
The public meetings announcement came shortly before California’s first confirmed gray wolf predation of livestock that occurred last month in Siskiyou County where ranch employees saw five wolves feeding on a dead calf. February 2016 27
REGIONAL NEWS Chukar Hunting Gets Better In Winter F
Chukar hunting is a fun thing to do with trained hunting dogs in the winter. Photo courtesy of Clint Wirick, Utah Chukar and Wildlife Foundation
alling snow is good news for chukar hunters. Once snow starts to fall, chukars — which roam over a larger area during the warmer months — concentrate in smaller areas. That makes it easier to find the birds. Chukar partridge also live in some of Utah’s driest areas. That’s another reason why they’re a great bird to hunt in the winter. You won’t have to worry as much about getting your vehicle stuck in snow, or hiking through deep snow, like you might while participating in other hunts. Colder weather also makes hiking less strenuous. And rattlesnakes are hibernating now, so you don’t have to be concerned about them either.
“In my opinion,” says Jason Robinson, upland game coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources, “winter is the best time of the year to hunt chukars.” Robinson says another advantage to hunting chukar in the winter — or anytime during the season — is the tasty meal the birds provide. “Chukar are the best-tasting game bird in Utah,” he says... Another thing you can earn is a coin for completing the state’s “Blister Slam.” The slam is one of six upland game slams in Utah. You can learn more about Utah’s Upland Game Slam at wildlife.utah.gov/uplandslam. This winter should be one of the best winters ever to get out and hunt chukars in Utah. Hunting success this season has been well above average. “Hunters are reporting great success this season,” Robinson says. “They’re seeing more coveys and larger coveys of birds.”
The state’s chukar hunt runs until Feb. 15.
More information about where to find chukars is available in the 2015–2016 Utah Upland Game and Turkey Guidebook. The distribution map is on page 36. Before hiking up a hill to find chukars, you can save yourself time and energy by getting familiar with the landscape chukars live in. Robinson says chukars need three things: Cliffs for roosting, shrubby cover near the cliffs and seeds and grasses to eat. In Utah, this habitat is usually found just below ridgelines at about 4,000 to 6,000 feet in elevation. And the habitat you’ll find chukars in is steep — very steep. To make the most of your energy supply, Robinson suggests hiking up to a ridgeline, and then walking along the ridgeline and then down from the ridge. Chukars run uphill to escape hunters. And they flush downhill when spooked. For these reasons, getting above the birds will give you a big advantage. “There can be a lot of walking involved,” he says, “but it’s a great way to stay in shape through the winter.” Robinson suggests waiting until midmorning before heading out. Giving the sun time to soften and melt the snow can make it easier to navigate steep chukar habitat. “When the ground is frozen,” he says, “hunting chukars can be like trying to walk on a Slip’N Slide.” There is an advantage to being out at first light, though. “The birds feed mostly in the early morning,” Robinson says. “If you listen closely, they’ll often tip you off to their location.” Robinson says chukars live in coveys that typically number between five to 30 birds. “When the covey is feeding,” he says, “it always posts a sentry. The sentry sits on a rock that provides it with a good view of the surrounding area. If the bird sees you, it will call out to alert the other birds. There’s a flip side to that, though: the sentry’s calling will alert you that a covey of chukars is in the area.”... 28 - Hunting & Fishing News
Internet Buzzes Over Deformed Mountain Lion Killed In Idaho By Jennifer Jackson, Southwest Region Conservation Educator
A
deformed mountain lion legally killed by a hunter after the cat attacked a domestic dog has garnered a lot of interest and questions among media and the public. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game would like to share a few facts and some additional information regarding the harvest of this mountain lion and its unusual deformity. On December 30, 2015, the young male mountain lion was observed attacking a dog on a landowner’s property in the rural Weston area. The mountain lion ran off and its tracks were followed through other properties and eventually to a place where the cat had retreated to the hills. Within three hours of the attack, the hunter began tracking the mountain lion with the use of hounds and harvested the cat legally that same day. The dog attacked by the mountain lion survived. The mountain lion had an unusual deformity-fully-formed teeth and what appears to be small whiskers were growing out of hard fur-covered tissue on the left side of the animal’s forehead. Idaho Fish and Game cannot definitively explain why this abnormality developed on this mountain lion. It is possible that the teeth could be the remnants of a conjoined twin that died in the womb and was absorbed into the other fetus. It is also possible that the deformity was a teratoma tumor. These kinds of tumors are composed of tissue from which teeth, hair, and even fingers and toes can develop. They are rare in humans and animals. Biologists from the southeast region of Idaho Fish and Game have never seen anything like this particular deformity before...
New Bighorn Video Explains Disease Research A
t one time, bighorn sheep were widespread throughout the West. But, during westward expansion in the 1800’s, populations underwent huge declines due to a number of factors including unregulated hunting, competition with livestock for forage, and diseases transmitted from domestic sheep. By the early 1900s, bighorn sheep were extinct in many parts of their former range. Today wild sheep are back due to transplants by wildlife agencies, tightly regulated hunting, and habitat conservation. Many people are able to enjoy the results of this recovery. However, disease continues to undermine decades of work to restore herds in prime bighorn sheep habitat like Hells Canyon of the Snake River, where populations are only a fraction of what they could be. A new video on Idaho Fish and Game’s website explains how wildlife biologists have expanded their efforts to understand these diseases with the hope of one day helping wild sheep repopulate the western landscape. The video is available at https://fishandgame.idaho.gov/content/video-sheep-research. Hunters contribute funding to this research by bidding on auction tags and buying a chance at a bighorn sheep lottery tag. These efforts combined have raised 2.9 million dollars since 1998 for bighorn sheep restoration including disease research, transplants, and habitat conservation.
GET IN SHAPE FOR ELK SEASON SEASONBy JR Keller
www.hunterspec.com
...elk season will be here before you know it. This is a good time to start thinking about getting those legs under you for elk season. I travel across the U.S. giving elk seminars and I always like to stress the importance of being in shape for the season. This is particularly important to hunters that will be traveling from lower elevations and spending time in the mountains. I have witnessed many hunts that were ruined by a lack of preparation and I’d hate for this to happen to you. Hunting in higher elevations, where there is a lack of oxygen and just the demanding terrain that goes hand in hand with elk hunting, can be overwhelming. Now I’m not saying that you need to be able to run a marathon before heading to the elk woods, but it would sure make the time in the elk woods far more enjoyable. All I ask is that if you are preparing for an elk hunt just be sure that you are in far better shape in September than you were when you were eating Twinkies in February. Below are a few tips that I stress in my seminars. •Start Slow-Start Now: Walking will be a huge help and you can start now. Start slow if you haven’t exercised and work your way up to 3-5 miles per day. If you already exercise, start finding hills to climb, even the bleachers at the local stadium will work. Building the climbing muscles in your legs will be a huge advantage. •Start Light-End Heavy: I like to load my pack up with the gear I will be carrying on a daily elk hunt. I make sure that just before my trip, I’m carrying nearly the weight I anticipate having to carry on the hunt. I weigh my rifle and carry hand weights that are about the same weight. Even though I use a sling for my rifle, the shoulder strength really helps in the long run, especially when I’m bow hunting. This will really help you get your legs and back conditioned for elk country. •Go Early-Get Acclimated: Especially for those hunters coming from lower elevations. There is really no way to simulate the lack of oxygen. Plan to arrive to your hunt a few days early, if possible. This will give your body time to acclimate a bit and help in the coming days. And remember, stay hydrated! And lastly, we all know that scent elimination is huge in the elk woods, but I have found using Scent-A-Way detergent on my workout clothes works awesome. With most workout clothing being antimicrobial material, I have found Scent-A-Way detergent completely eliminates odors in your clothes. Just a little tip next time your sweaty workout clothes hit the laundry. February 2016 29
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HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESS AS A HUNTER? By Luke Griffiths Originally published at
www.gohunt.com
I
was fortunate to grow up as the son of a hunter. From a very young age, hunting has been my passion. As I grew as a hunter, my definition of a successful hunt has changed drastically. What started as a quest to fill a tag has evolved into something much more complex. Webster defines success as “the correct or desired result of an attempt.” This may seem simple on the surface, but in order to define success accurately, one must first ask “what is the desired result?”
PUNCH YOUR TAG
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Photo credit: Brady Miller For most hunters, especially in the beginning, the main object of hunting is to find and harvest an animal. After all, that is why you bought a tag. Most hunters who return from a trip with a harvested animal would consider their hunt a success. The sense of accomplishing the task at hand and bringing home meat for the freezer is quite satisfying. Early on in my hunting career, the success of my hunt hinged on this sole factor. If I returned home with a tag in my pocket, my hunt was “unsuccessful.” Yet, if I filled my tag and came home with meat and a pair of antlers, no matter the size, it was considered a successful hunt.
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If you’re anything like me, your social media feeds are littered with trophy photos. It seems that 200” bucks and 380” bulls are a dime a dozen in social media land. There’s nothing wrong with looking over these photos and dreaming. Seeing the magnificent animals that are harvested each year is fun and it can serve as a motivational tool; however, it Pope and Young archery antelope record can also create a skewed book entry concept of reality. After a few years of hunting and taking the first opportunity to fill my tag, my view of success changed. Shooting the first legal buck that presented an opportunity was no longer enough. I began setting goals each hunting season to harvest only mature animals. At first, it was difficult for me to pass on opportunities to punch my tag. Often I would hold out for weeks hoping for a chance at a bigger buck only to take a “lesser” deer late in the season or, sometimes, nothing at all.
“Success is not measured by what a man accomplishes, but by the opposition he has encountered and the courage with which he has maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds.” Charles Lindbergh There is nothing wrong with pursuing a trophy, but holding out means passing on the opportunity to fill a tag and, even worse, it devalues hunts where you “settle” for something less. “Trophy” animals are considered that because they are rare. It takes a lot of work and a dose of luck to harvest a record book animal and, if the success of your hunt is measured in inches, you must be prepared to experience failure often. That is not to say that pursuing a trophy is wrong. Some of my fondest memories of hunting are those where I chose not to take an animal because I didn’t find “the one.”
THE EXPERIENCE
As I continued to grow as a hunter, my pursuit of mature animals brought me to more and more remote places. What started as driving back roads in the woods with a rifle and a full ice chest evolved into hiking miles into the wilderness with a bow and a heavy pack. My first few wilderness hunts were nothing short of miserable. I had the wrong gear, was out of shape, and I came home early with a broken spirit and sore legs. I do not know why, but I kept coming back, each time a little more prepared. Before long, even trips that ended without a buck sighted came with a great sense of accomplishment. When I started finding deer in a remote high country basin, I swelled with pride and even though I still returned to the truck with a tag in my pocket, I could not wait to get back. I quickly reverted from a “trophy hunter” to an opportunist. When I was finally presented with an opportunity at a buck, though it was not a trophy by Boone and Crockett standards, I took it. I had never felt so successful as a hunter when I finally arrived at the truck with that deer on my back. The thing that I crave the most in the offseason is simple, being in the woods; I hunt not just to kill, but to experience all that comes with the pursuit.
SUCCESS DEFINED
In order to truly define success as a hunter, you must first ask yourself, “why do you hunt?” While some may hunt simply to put meat on the table and others seek bragging rights and a head on the wall, I have found that the things that keep me coming back are extraordinary experiences. My bow and my rifle and the thrill of the pursuit have carried me to awesome places in remote wilderness. In these places, I have experienced nature as a participant, rather than an observer. My desire to hunt has pushed me to test my limits both mentally and physically; I have learned more about myself in the backcountry than anywhere else. I live for this pursuit and will never stop chasing. For me, success as a hunter is not measured in tags filled or inches of antler, but in experience gained and obstacles overcome. Sure, I still dream of taking a record book animal and strive to fill my tag and bring home meat, but any hunt that yields extraordinary experience and knowledge gained is a success in my book.
www.gohunt.com/insider MTHUNTFISH
February 2016 31
A PROMISE TO MY SHOTGUN
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By Kyle Wintersteen, Managing Editor Delta Waterfowl www.deltawaterfowl.org
D ad long ago instilled in me that if you shoot a gun, you clean a gun. A rusty shotgun, he said, reveals much about the character of its owner — or simply whether he hunts sea ducks. Woodland Hills Estates
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That’s largely why you and I are in our sixteenth grueling duck season together, and aside from the unavoidable scars of bumpy boat rides and thorny creek bottoms, there’s barely a blemish on you. Yet my post-hunt cleaning ritual owes to more than a lifelong habit or even the desire to keep you running smoothly. I clean you out of respect, for you, for the Belgians who machined you and for the men who ensured my freedom to own you. If you ask me, allowing firearms to wither away through mere neglect is an affront to all they signify. I clean you because you’re a hefty, 8-pound-plus magnum, an irreplaceable relic since the market’s shift to lightweight, do-it-all shotguns. You’re as suited to the grouse woods as a linebacker to a basketball court, but you soak up recoil, smooth my swing, and smack any ducks attempting an end-around sweep.
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I clean you because every opportunity to fetch you from the safe rekindles memories of the places we’ve been and ducks we’ve shot. Black ducks on the Susquehanna, mallards in Saskatchewan, bluebills on Chesapeake Bay and canvasbacks on the James River, to name a few. Call me sentimental, but I’m not ready to write a new story with a new shotgun. I clean you because you perform as if cherry-picked from the assembly line. Your over-bored barrel throws a superb steel pattern. You’ve been wet, muddy and encased in ice, yet through thousands of rounds you’ve malfunctioned just once: Seconds after I bragged to a buddy of your perfect record. Well played, Shotgun. No, I haven’t always treated you well. There was the sea duck hunt four years ago when, dog tired, I opted to drive home rather than clean you immediately. The result: Gentle pitting on your barrel extension, a constant reminder of my lapse in vigilance. And there was the time I lowered my arm to fetch a black duck, the canoe rocked, and you plunged into the marsh muck. I used a stick to free 3 inches of mud from your barrel, and moments later, you overcame this flirtation with disaster by deftly delivering a charge of No. 2 shot to a drake mallard. Shotgun, I want you to know how much I value both you and what owning you represents. I will degrease you, oil you, replace your springs and buy a new barrel if yours gives out. You are my shotgun — the best duck gun I’ve owned — and I promise to never let you rust. Sincerely,
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Four Individuals Charged with Unlawfully Killing Eight Buck Deer in Hill County www.ammoland.com
F
our individuals were charged in Hill County Justice Court for violations that resulted in the killing of eight buck deer in Hill County in Sept. and Oct. of this year. Elisha Rulison, 21, of Plains, and Tyler Adams, 20, of Havre, plead guilty to multiple counts of unlawful possession of a game animal, unlawful hunting from a public road, hunting during a closed season, unlawful use of artificial light while hunting, and a single count of killing an over limit of a game animal. Janelle Baird, 20, of Zurich, and James Rulison, 20, of Plains, plead guilty to unlawful possession of a game animal, hunting during a closed season, unlawful hunting from a public road, and unlawful use of artificial light while hunting. Based on several reports of suspicious activity in southern Hill County, wardens conducted a nearly month-long investigation which involved a tremendous amount of field work and information gathering. It was discovered that several people were involved and that multiple violations had occurred. On Oct. 20, 2015 Warden Sergeant Shane Reno, Criminal Investigator Dirk Paulsen, and Warden Andy Matakis interviewed the individuals connected with this poaching incident. “This was not an instance where a single deer was killed by a person who made a minor mistake. This was a group of people who killed eight large bucks, some of them trophies, over the course of 23 days. This took a great deal of harvest opportunity away from the sportsmen of Montana,” Matakis said. “All of these deer were killed with a rifle prior to the general season, with the use of artificial light, and most of them were shot from a county road.” Elisha Rulison was ordered by the Hill County Justice of the Peace to pay $1,157 in fines and $2,120 in restitution for the four deer he killed. Tyler Adams was ordered to pay $877 in fines and $1,120 in restitution for the two deer he killed. Both men lost privileges to hunt, fish, and trap for life in Montana, as well as all 48 states that are members of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact. They were also sentenced to serve jail time in the Hill County Detention Center. Janelle Baird was ordered to pay $490 in fines and $500 in restitution for the one deer she killed and, with her involvement with other deer taken in the case, lost her privileges to hunt, fish, and trap for life in Montana and all 48 states that are members of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact. James Rulison was ordered to pay $305 in fines and $500 in restitution for the one deer he killed. He lost his privileges to hunt, fish, and trap for 11 years in Montana, as well as all 48 states that are members of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact... 34 - Hunting & Fishing News
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PHOTO BOARD
How to Select a Hunting Outfitter By Stephanie Mallory Yamaha Outdoors Tips
H unting with an outfitter is a great option for those who want to increase their odds for success. On the other hand, hunting with the wrong outfitter can result in wasted time and wasted money. So, how can you make sure that you select an outfitter that will provide you with the greatest chance for success, while giving you the enjoyable, hassle-free hunting experience you deserve?
Wade Middleton, host of “Yamaha Whitetail Diaries,” has not only worked as an outfitter, but he has booked numerous hunts for himself through various outfitters. When it comes to selecting the best outfitter for your purpose, he says you first must understand what makes an outfitter great.
Vince Lindgren - Missoula MT
Nov. 14, 2015 2:30 pm 80 yards/one shot w/32 year old Ruger 30-06 M77 w/new 3x9 Leupold, Remington 180 grain
“The best outfitters are fully prepared and constantly on the move,” he said. “The guides and staff are not only knowledgeable and experienced, but they’re always willing to help. They have the right gear, the locations scouted out and they’re eager to do anything to make the hunt a success.” So how do you find such an outfitter? Middleton says research is a must. “You can get a first impression of an outfitter through advertisements or word of mouth. A general Web search will provide you with some options as well. Once you have a place in mind, you’ll want to conduct extensive website research to determine if the outfitter offers the type of hunt and amenities you want.” Middleton says the type of amenities you expect should be based on the location of the outfitter and the type of game you’re hunting. “For many backcountry-type hunts, a simple tent, a warm fire and soup is all you should expect,” Middleton said. “In other cases, the amenities can be better than many 5-star resorts.”
Nic Lindgren, 16 years old - Missoula MT Nov. 21, 2015 8:00am 60 yards/one shot w/new Ruger 30-06 M77 w/new 3x9 Leupold, Remington 180 grain
During your research, you’ll also want to pay attention to website images and booking information, such as pricing. Also check out the outfitter’s social media outlets. If you notice outdated images and information, then you can assume that the outfitter may be a bit on the lazy side. You can also check with a local office of the Better Business Bureau to see if the outfitter has any blemishes on his record. Once you’ve narrowed your choices down through your research, reach out to the outfitter via phone or email for additional information. Middleton suggests asking the following questions. • How many hunters do you take every year? • How many hunters will be in camp with me? • What type of hunt conditions should I expect? • How long have you been in business? • What type of lodging conditions should I expect? • What kind of shape should I be in for the hunt? • Can I get a list of references? • What type of gear should I bring? “A good outfitter will have the major gear you need for success, but the hunter is generally expected to bring his or her own gun or bow, optics, camo and other personal items,” Middleton said. “Outfitters that can use ATV’s usually have them available, and some will even let clients bring their own ATV’s. If you want to bring along your own ATV or Side-by-Side vehicle, make sure to discuss this with your outfitter beforehand. You’ll also want to check regulations for the area you’re hunting to make sure it’s legal to use your ATV in the manner you plan for your hunt.”
Trevor Johnson - Helena MT Knocking down some ducks Kit’s Tackle 36 - Hunting & Fishing News
While no outfitter can guarantee a successful hunt, the steps you take before booking an outfitter can increase your odds for both success and a good time. So put in some legwork, and then enjoy hunting with an outfitter you trust.
February 2016 37
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7MM REMINGTON ULTRA MAG By Mike Hanback www.mikehanback.com I
shot my first buck many years ago with a .243. I moved up to .270, and then to .308. Both performed well on our Virginia whitetails. In the 1990s I “manned up” to 30-06, with which I felled not only more deer, but also a goodly number of bull elk, two sheep, a few bears and a couple of moose the size of a VW bus. Cartridge-wise, I have always been a boring hunter. Until 10 years ago when a guy who worked for Remington at the time called me up and said, “Hanback, you’re old-school, but I’m gonna send you a new caliber to test, tell me what you think.” The Model 700 CDL I pulled out of the box was beautiful if traditional: walnut stock with classy satin finish, black-tipped fore-end, sleek lines and a 26-inch blued barrel. But there was nothing old-school about the chambering: hot, fast, sexy 7mm Remington Ultra Mag. (RUM). I sighted in with 140-grain Core-Lokt bullets and headed out to Wyoming. One day I stalked to within 150 yards of a big muley buck. When I pulled the rifle’s trigger and the bullet went thwack, the buck thundered down like lightning had struck him. I was a bit surprised by that, but I didn’t think much of it at the time. I had shoulder-shot bucks with my .30-06 that went down fast and hard like that. But now, years and dozens of deer later, I know there is a pattern. Eighty percent of the bucks I have shot with the 7 RUM have fallen on the spot, no tracking required. No, fallen is not the right word--they have buckled and folded like a pile of rocks. Some have literally been blown off their hooves. I have video proof. You might have seen some of those bucks boom down on my television shows, including the 209-inch giant I killed in 2010 for an episode of the The Bucks Stops Here on the Versus channel (now NBC Sports).
The energy transfer and “knockdown power” of the 7 RUM and 140-grain 0r 150-grain bullet are amazing. And yet still, you might never have heard of this cartridge, to my mind one of the best on the planet for deer... While Remington points out in literature that the 7 RUM load delivers 25 percent more energy at 300 yards than the standard 7mm, they have not touted the knockdown power of this cartridge nearly enough in my opinion. Just last season I shot four 140-grain Core-Lokts at four bucks and dropped them all on the spot. I take that back. One 160-class Oklahoma buck ran 30 yards before piling up in the scrub brush. If you’re in the market for a fast, hard-hitting new deer cartridge you ought to give the 7mm RUM a hard look. 38 - Hunting & Fishing News
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By JR Keller www.hunterspec.com
I
... n my home state of Colorado, you can scout birds preseason but this can turn into a weekly endeavor even throughout the season. Reason being, most of the birds I hunt get pushed to lower elevation as snow starts to accumulate. As things warm up the birds will move their way back up the mountain. I always used to tell folks to start at snow line when looking for early spring gobblers, but I have found over the last several years you might be cruising right past that old longbeard. I think as these western birds move up the mountain they find little pockets that they like to hang in. If they don’t get much pressure and they have the tools for survival, i.e.: food, water, a place to roost and they feel safe, they are golden! As we all know, with spring nearing we fight the weather and all the melting snow creates mud. So muddy roads late in the day can be an issue but also key for scouting. It’s almost a given that migrating birds will eventually cross the road, so looking for turkey tracks on main roads or old two tracks can give you a good starting point. I don’t know how many times I have run into another hunter while standing over a fresh set of turkey tracks and we have the same old conversation….. Seen anything? Nope! Now this could be two turkey hunters testing wits, because as we know, the first liar doesn’t stand a chance. Usually you can tell by a short conversation if they are a newbie or not. “Don’t be that newbie”-- check those roads for tracks and also other indicators like droppings. This can give you a good idea or time frame as to when the birds moved through the area and if you are a week behind them or a day. Here is another thing that drives me nuts. I run into a buddy and it’s two weeks before the season and he says “Man, it’s gonna be a great turkey season!” I usually cringe as I ask why because I know what the answer is going to be. Yep, I called in three birds scouting yesterday…….UGH! My response is “that’s three more birds that are going to be that much harder to call up come opening day.” Big no no! Don’t educate preseason birds. I know it’s tough. We all want to hear them gobble and come to the call, but it can spoil your opening day. One call I will use while preseason scouting is our Loco Crow call. This is a great way to get birds to give away their location throughout the day. Preseason scouting is also a great time of year to be looking for dropped sheds from that great big bull or buck that made it through the hunting season. You can literally kill two birds with one stone! No pun…. scouting for turkeys and shed hunting! Good luck this spring. Follow me on Instagram at jr_keller1.
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BEAR’S 2016 FLAGSHIP MODEL, this is about intenseness, engineered to deliver an arrow at a blazing 350 fps with one noticeable difference: You never felt it coming. That’s because they’ve shaved off weight by employing a strong 7075 aluminum riser and cams for a heavenly balance of strength vs. weight. And it gets better. With a 6” brace height, the Escape still feels noticeably forgiving for a bow this powerful. Add the 32” axle-to-axle length to the equation and you’ve got a born killer that feels neither too long in tight spots, nor too short it won’t perform. Bottom line: This is the premier lightweight option for us speed freaks, and the only thing it sacrifices to get you there is the baggage. 40 - Hunting & Fishing News
Knives made to be used The wild mountains, fjords and open seas combined with generations of outdoorsmen are the inspiration for Helle’s designs. Each knife is designed with a specific task in mind. The purpose of a specific knife may be that it should replace a couple of other tools and be a versatile and multi-functional tool. Or its mission can be to be the best fishing knife around. The differences between a Helle knife and other knives are many. The biggest difference lies in their triple laminated stainless steel blade, with a core made of high alloy steel which gives it a lasting, razor-sharp edge. To exploit the superb qualities of the high alloy steel Helle added two layers of tough stainless steel to protect the blade against breakage and corrosion, while the high carbon core still provides a superb cutting edge. This triple laminated stainless steel is unique to Helle’s knife blades. Good craftsmanship requires the ability to create handle shapes which are consistent with the blade, fit comfortably in the hand, and add character to the knife. In most handles, Helle uses hard and beautifully structured wood of curly grained birch, alone or in combination with matching materials, such as leather and stag horn. In a way you could argue that everybody who works at Helle is also a member of the R&D department. They are all leading lives in the rugged Norwegian mountains and fjords and they actually use the knives that they make. They would not accept a knife that does not work as intended or a knife with some useless gimmick. A Helle knife is a true work of art. See these and other fine products at one of the 5 Montana Bob Ward’s Sports & Outdoors Stores or shop 24/7 at www.bobwards.com
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5 THINGS YOU MAY NOT BE DOING TO PROPERLY MOUNT YOUR RIFLESCOPE By Mark Boardman
www.vortexoptics.com
You might be a gunsmith, you might be an engineer, and you may have been mounting scopes on rifles since a date that borders on ending with B.C. You might be doing it wrong. “It’s not your fault,” (Good Will Hunting, 1997). There’s more to mounting a riflescope than commonly thought. Overall, it is a simple process, but must be done correctly for proper optic function and reliability. Save yourself time, frustration, and ammunition by doing things right on the front end. 1. Start with good rings and bases—you’ll thank yourself later Often overlooked, many people highly underestimate the importance of quality rings and bases. They become an afterthought in the rifle/riflescope purchase process and get skimped on. Remember, these are the components that connect the riflescope to the rifle. If they are not up to the job, you’re stumbling out of the gate. 2. Take it to the max When setting eye relief, it’s important to do so on the riflescope’s maximum magnification. With the rings still loose, slide the scope fore and aft and look through it to find its optimal position/eye relief. Shoulder the rifle several times and bring the scope to you during the process. Make adjustments as needed. This will ensure the best sight picture throughout the zoom range. 3. It’s time you get on the level—by using levels After eyeballing the reticle as close to plum as possible, it’s time to break out the bubble levels. With the rifle braced and locked in place, set one bubble level on a flat surface of the rifle (generally on the receiver), the other on the riflescope (generally on top of the elevation turret). Gently turn the scope in the rings until both read level. Note: Just because your reticle may appear to be slightly canted after proper mounting, doesn’t mean it is. Right-handed shooters often notice a perceived subtle cant to the left and left-handed shooters the opposite. It’s not the reticle that’s canted, but the rifle itself when brought to the shoulder. 4. Use an inch pounds torque wrench—not to be confused with an impact wrench A common misconception is the need to really crank ring screws to ensure the scope doesn’t slip under recoil. Over torquing can lead to tracking issues due to flexing of the outer scope tube, which impedes functioning of the internal erector tube (the part that moves when adjusting your turrets). Crimped scope tubes can also result, which is an unfortunate and permanent issue. Ring halves are not supposed to touch. Once tightened in an alternating fashion, much like you would tighten the lug nuts on a tire, there should be equal spacing/gap between the top half and bottom half of the rings (applies to horizontally split rings). As a general rule, 15 to 18 inch pounds on the rings is more than sufficient, even for magnum calibers. You can be slightly more aggressive with the ring to base connection with 25 to 35 inch pounds of torque. 5. Don’t use Thread Locker Recommended by many, it is not necessary to use Thread Locker on your ring or base screws. Thread Locker lubricates screw threads, causing a wet-torque which can actually lead to over-torquing. Your torque wrench might read 15 inch pounds, but in reality be much higher. Implement these tips into your riflescope mounting process to get the most out of your rifle and the optic that sits atop it. February 2016 41
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Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. CALL FOR A QUOTE 24/7. Jim F. Donaldson LUTCF, Agent 1225 Birch, Helena, MT. 59601 Bus. 406-442-4788 jim.donaldson.b7i6@statefarm.com
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M ore than four decades ago, I graduated from a BB gun to my first ‘real’ firearm – a Marlin .22. I’m not sure I’ve even touched an air gun since then, but now I’ve jumped on the modern adult air gun bandwagon – big time. These are not toys, but real tools for real shooting and hunting. Winchester Model 1400CS
Tip 1: The Modern Adult Air Gun.
I received the box containing my brand-new Winchester 1400 air gun. It was heavy, it was long, and when I opened it, the substance and quality of the rifle slapped me right in the face. The deep bluing on the barrel, the synthetic Mossy Oak stock, and the 3-9 X 32 mm scope were all impressive.
Tip 2: The Adult Air Gun Pellet.
We’re not talking a paper tube of BBs. Most .177-caliber pellets have a wasp waist; hollow base; and a flat, rounded, or pointed nose. These pellets weigh much less than a .22 bullet, but come out of the muzzle faster (1,400 fps vs. 1,200 fps), and are easily lethal with an accurate shot on squirrels and rabbits. As with any firearm, know what you are shooting at, and what is behind your target.
Tip 3: Choose Your Ammo.
Three main types of ammunition are easy to find, and a number of other ammo styles are also available. Flat-faced wadcutters are great for punching holes in targets. Domed pellets are designed for hunting, as are pointed or hollow point pellets (with or without polymer tips), which are designed for expansion.
Tip 4: Air Guns Aren’t Silent.
The classic BB gun does not make much noise, but adult air guns are very different. There is a definite report when pulling the trigger, even with the Winchester 1400’s built-in suppressor. OSHA requires hearing protection in the workplace with continuous noise above 85 decibels; many adult air guns produce peak noise in the 80-90 dB range (a .22 comes in at about 140 dB.) I generally do not use hearing protection when using my air gun outside, but do use earplugs when shooting inside, or if I’m at a range with solid walls at the shooting station.
Tip 5: Avoid the Pinch Point.
Like many adult air guns, the Winchester 1400 works by breaking open, loading the pellet in the chamber, and then closing the breech. The first two steps are pretty easy, but closing the breech takes some effort. Be careful! It is very easy to get your hand near the hinge point, and if you close it on any of the skin on your hand, everyone within earshot will hear your entire vocabulary of naughty words! Pay attention and be careful until your loading process is smooth and safe.
Tip 6: Appreciate the Engineers.
The reason the action takes so much effort to close is because it is what’s compressing the air that launches the pellet at supersonic speeds. After I realized this, I came to appreciate the people who designed the system. Things are only moving a couple of inches, but this produces all the energy necessary to make this an efficient, reliable, and very accurate hunting weapon.
Tip 7: Fast and Fun.
While the federal government does not consider adult air guns to be ‘firearms,’ and you can buy them over the counter with no paperwork, don’t assume there are no restrictions on using them. Check your state game regulations before you head to the woods to get the fixin’s for a rabbit or squirrel stew, and check local ordinances before you set up a range in your backyard. The state where I live allows hunting small game (except birds) with an air gun, but I cannot discharge one within the town where I live, eliminating my yard or basement for a practice range.
www.whitetailsunlimited.com 42 - Hunting & Fishing News
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WHITETAIL BUCKS ARE NOT TERRITORIAL By Lindsay Thomas Jr., QDMA
A
buck can vanish from your hunting area for many reasons: hunting pressure, killed by a neighbor or poacher, hit by a car, died from injuries in a fight with another buck, brain abscess, a long list of freak accidents, and more. Let’s list a factor you don’t have to worry about: Being chased out of its home range by a more aggressive buck. There’s rock-solid science on this one. Whitetail bucks are not territorial. A territory, in the biological sense, is a space that one animal defends against invasion by other animals – usually animals of their own species, but sometimes other species as well. Whitetail bucks settle into what are called “home ranges,” but there is zero evidence that they defend them against other bucks. The opposite is true: there is abundant evidence that buck home ranges overlap, and that deer within those overlapping home ranges share very close quarters at times, even in fall when they are not in bachelor groups. Let’s look at just one example. The map below is from research conducted in South Carolina by Clint McCoy, who was earning his Ph.D. in wildlife science at Auburn University when he did the study. It shows the core areas of four adult bucks that were being tracked by GPS collars they were wearing (there’s a yellow, green, red and blue buck in this map). Note that the core areas of all four bucks overlap with other bucks to some extent, in some cases greatly. In fact, the blue, green and red bucks all shared a good bit of ground for their core areas. And this was during hunting season. Clint and other scientists tracking bucks like this define “core area” as the space within a larger home range where a deer spends 50 percent of its time. So, the colored areas on this map are not home ranges – they are the hearts of the home ranges. And yet, these bucks shared that turf regularly. In other studies, multiple mature bucks wearing GPS collars have been seen sharing the same general area, even the same bedding area, and even outside of summer when bachelor groups are broken up. Bucks do not draw lines around their home ranges or core areas and dare other bucks to cross them. But they will pull rank to displace each other from small areas like feeders, a loaded persimmon tree, an estrus doe, or even just their personal space. Many of us have witnessed this happen while hunting, while glassing fields in summer, or while looking at trail-camera photos. Posturing plays a large role in settling these disputes, though sometimes it gets more serious, as with the two bucks shown above. The dominant buck usually gets first dibs of the desired resource, but the subordinate buck does not pack up and move to a new neighborhood. He doesn’t abandon his home range. He continues to use his familiar ground, though he may adjust his travel schedule. He’ll sneak back later to that feeder, persimmon tree, or hot doe, and get what he can while more dominant bucks are busy elsewhere. Chase Currie, a deer researcher and QDMA member from Texas, summed it up well with an analogy about high school. You didn’t change schools to avoid the bully, Chase told me. You just picked a different corner of the lunchroom, or ate your lunch at a different time. Bucks operate the same way. This would really just be a boring vocabulary discussion except for one thing: I hear some people advocating management decisions based on a misguided belief that bucks are territorial. They witness one buck dominating another one and jump to the conclusion that the lesser buck will now disappear. Or, a good buck vanishes from their trail-cameras at the same time a different buck shows up. There are numerous well-documented behaviors, like seasonal core-area shifts, excursions, and other “happenstance” that could also explain the disappearance of a buck that was once easy to see, or the sudden appearance of a new buck. But some people conclude that the second buck must be a bully and should be shot as such. Herd management is not that complicated. Bucks are individuals and certainly have unique “personalities,” from reclusive, subordinate types to outgoing, aggressive types. But we can’t accurately measure, much less manage, buck personalities – just like we can’t manage buck genetics. Nevertheless, just like genetics, buck attitude is sometimes used as an excuse to justify the killing of a buck the hunter just wanted to take home with them. So we come back to the basics: If the buck would make you happy, and it’s legal under your local regulations, take him home with you. Quality Deer Management is a gradual process in which hunters enjoy stages of success, taking progressively older bucks, rather than passing deer that would make them happy because they’ve set their goals too high. When you set a realistic age-based goal for buck harvest, your harvest decisions become simple. The only consideration is whether the buck meets your age criteria. Often, hunters worry about older, low-scoring bucks being bullies. There’s no need to dress him up in some imaginary costume of “bad genetics” or “bully” or “management buck” or “cull.” He’s fully mature. He’s a crop ready for picking. Take him to the skinning shed if you are fortunate enough to get the chance, and then collect the ultimate certificate of whitetail hunting achievement: a jaw full of worn teeth. This article is reprinted with permission from the website of the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA), a non-profit wildlife conservation organization dedicated to ensuring the future of white-tailed deer, wildlife habitat and our hunting heritage. To learn more about deer hunting and managing deer habitat,visit www.QDMA.com. 44 - Hunting & Fishing News
February 2016 45
46 - Hunting & Fishing News
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Go-anywhere Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive + 33 mpg1. And it’s a 2015 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ with optional EyeSight® Driver Assist Technology. It gives snow day an entirely new meaning.
Love. It’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru.
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1515 EUCLID AVENUE, HELENA, MT. 59601 1EPA-estimated hwy fuel economy for 2016 Subaru Outback 2.5i models. Actual mileage may vary. 2016 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited shown.